From my wanderings on this server, I have come to the conclusion that druids get the short end of the stick (heh heh). Is there any evidence to the contrary? I feel that with no 'wilderness' due to the Bioware tileset issues you lose out on many of the things that make druids good (or at least even with the other classes). Lets take a brief comparison:

Druids: -d8 hit dice -Armor Proficiencies: Light, Medium, Shields -Weapon Proficiencies: 'Druid' Weapons (club, dagger, scimitar, sickle, spear, quarterstaff, and sling) -Skill Points Per Level: 4+Int Modifier (x4 at 1st character level) -Class Skills: Animal Empathy, Concentration, Heal, Lore, Parry, Persuade, Spellcraft -Class Features: Divine Spellcasting, Shapechange 'Wilderness' Powers

Clerics: -d8 hit dice -Armor Proficiencies: Light, Medium, Heavy, Shields -Weapon Proficiencies: All Simple Weapons -Skill Points Per Level: 2+Int Modifier (x4 at 1st character level) -Class Skills: Concentration, Heal, Lore, Parry, Persuade, Spellcraft -Class Features: Turn Undead, Divine Spellcasting (spontanious healing, raise dead), Domain Powers

So, I must ask- would one just be better off making a cleric, but giving them a nature diety and RPing similar to a druid? Or is there some variable I am not covering? Because I really like the thought of playing a druid, but given the lack of wilderness tiles I feel a cleric might have a better chance out there in the harsh Underdark (even if I must sacrifice shapechange). And while playing a 'weaker' PC is fun (take it from a kobold) I am sort of looking to balance playing Twitch out with a more robust PC.

One obvious downside of making a cleric and playing as a druid is you lose druid-based spells.

I would go with whatever your concept is, as I don't think either druids or clerics are mechanically disadvantaged. The Underdark wilds are substantial and well developed, there's a druid-only shop, and the druid stealth spells are extremely effective in making you be able to travel around out there. Free rest, some nice druid spells, druid-only equipment, druid-focused plots, customized companions, customized and powerful wild shape forms*...

But the main question is: do you want to promote the ideals of a specific deity, or do you want to role-play a character that is in tune with the natural existence of the Underdark?

Howland customized and powerful wild shape forms*...

You got me there. :)

And there are wilderness areas? Can I be told of one?

There are plenty of wilderness areas, just go outside from the town, explore a bit, and you will find them. Actually, almost everything outside the town is wilderness, or so I see it.

Oh, and good to see btw that someone else also plays nwn with Mac :wink:

tib

And there are wilderness areas? Can I be told of one?

We consider anything starting with "Underdark" or "North Shore" to pretty much be wilderness areas. There are a few exceptions (like the blue mushroom inn).

These areas usually allow druids to rest for free in them. We don't have forest wilderness, or anything like that. (Well, there is a mushroom forest out there, so I take that back.) We do have a lot of wild caves that are their own kind of wilderness.

Trust me. As one of the very few druids, I have explored wilderness. There is many many things to be found and many areas. I was just too scared to go too far... It got so dark that I got scared...

I have been swayed. A druid I have made and so far hes been really fun!

And don't forget the super excellent plus points (from teh powergame!

Druid Animal Companion.

Bark Skin AND Stone Skin

Spike Growth (the most annoying spell ever to screw up a quest)

Camoflauge + One with the land

Clerics < Druids FTW!

Druids get Animal Companion, Summons, Empathied Animal vs. Clerics get Summons. This is gold, at least at low levels. There is also Entangle. Druids are fun. This server is an opportunity to play Dwarven, Gnome, and Half-orc Druids in a setting that is at once alien and not.